Letters of Franz Liszt, Volume 1, From Paris to Rome:

F >> Franz Liszt; Letters assembled by La Mara and translated >> Letters of Franz Liszt, Volume 1, From Paris to Rome:

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Dear Friend,

A summons which cannot be put off obliges me to be present at the
Goethe Festival here on the 28th of August, and to undertake the
direction of the musical part.

My first step is naturally to beg you to be so good as to send us
soon the score of your "Faust." If you should be able to spare
any of the voice or orchestral parts it would be a saving of time
to us; but if not we shall willingly submit to getting the parts
copied out as quickly as possible.

Kindly excuse me, dear friend, for the manner in which this
letter contradicts my last. I am very seldom guilty in such a
way, but in this case it does not lie in me, but in the
particulars of the matter itself.

For the rest I can assure you that your "Faust" shall be studied
with the utmost sympathy and accuracy by the orchestra and
chorus.--Herr Montag, the conductor of the Musik-Verein [Musical
Union], is taking up the chorus rehearsals with the greatest
readiness, and the rest will be my affair!--Only, dear friend,
don't delay sending the score and, if possible, the parts.

Sincerely yours,

F. Liszt

Weymar, August 1st, 1849

If your opera is given not later than the 1st of September I
shall certainly come to Leipzig.

63. To Carl Reinecke

Heligoland, September 7th, 1849

I am very sorry, my dear M. Reinecke, not to have met you at
Hamburg. It would have been such a real pleasure to me to make
acquaintance again with your Nonet, and it seems to me, judging
from its antecedents in the form of a Concerto, that by this
decisive transformation it ought to be a most honorably
successful work.

The "Myrthen Lieder" have never been sent to me. If you happen to
have a copy I should be very much obliged if you would send it me
to Schuberth's address.

With regard to the article which has appeared in "La Musique" I
have all sorts of excuses to make to you. The editors of the
paper thought fit, I do not know why, to give it a title which I
completely disavow, and which would certainly have never entered
into my mind. Moreover the printer has not been sparing of
changing several words and omitting others. Such are the
inevitable disadvantages of articles sent by post, and of which
the proof correctors cannot read the writing.

Anyhow, such as it is, I am glad to think that it cannot have
done you any harm in the mind of the French public, which has
customs and requirements that one must know well when one wishes
above all things to serve one's friends by being just to them.

Two numbers of your "Kleine Fantasie-Stucke" have been
distributed, up to about a thousand copies, with the paper "La
Musique," under the title of "Bluettes,"--a rather ill-chosen
title to my idea,--but, notwithstanding this title and the words
"adopted by F. Liszt," which the editors have further taken the
responsibility of putting, I am persuaded that this publication
is a good opening (in material) into the musical world of France,
and, looking at this result only, I am charmed to have been able
to contribute to it.

I shall return to Hamburg by the last boat from Heligoland on the
27th of September, in order to go to the baths of Eilsen, where I
expect to spend all the month of October. In November I shall be
back in Weymar for the rest of the winter.

If you would have the kindness to send to Schuberth's address a
case of 250 cigars of a pretty good size from the Bremen
Manufactory, I should be very much obliged to you, and would take
care to let you have the money (which in any case will not be a
very great sum) through Schuberth. The samples you sent me to
Weymar did reach me, but at a moment when I was extremely
occupied, so that I forgot them. Pray let me hear from you from
time to time, my dear M. Reinecke, and regard me as a friend who
is sincerely attached to you.

F. Liszt

64. To Breitkopf and Hartel

My dear Sir,

The arrival of your piano is one of the most pleasant events in
my peacefully studious life at Weymar, and I hasten to send you
my best thanks. Although, to tell the truth, I don't intend to do
much finger-work in the course of this year, yet it is no less
indispensable for me to have from time to time a perfect
instrument to play on. It is an old custom that I should regret
to change; and, as you kindly inquire after the ulterior
destination of this piano, allow me to tell you quite frankly
that I should like to keep it as long as you will leave it me for
my private, personal, and exclusive use at Weymar. In being
guilty of the so-called indiscretion I committed in claiming of
your courtesy the continued loan of one of your instruments I
thought that, under the friendly and neighborly relations which
are established between us (for a long time to come, I hope), it
would not be unwelcome to your house that one of its productions
should play the hospitable to me, whilst receiving my hospitality
at the same time. However retired and sheltered I live from stir
and movement at Weymar, yet from time to time it does happen that
I receive illustrious visitors, or curious and idle ones who come
and trouble one for this or that; henceforth I shall be delighted
to be able to do the honors of your piano both to the one and to
the other, and that will be, besides, the best proof of the
strength of the recommendation that I have had the pleasure of
making, for a long time past, of your manufactory. If however,
contrary to expectation, it should happen that you were in
pressing need of an instrument, very little played upon, the one
at Weymar would be at your disposal at any moment.

With regard to the Beethoven Lieder-Cyclus I have just received a
letter from Mr. Haslinger which I do not communicate in full
because of the personal details it contains, but this is the
passage, as laconic as it is satisfactory, with regard to this
publication:--

"I give you with pleasure my fullest consent to the edition of
the Beethoven Liederkreis by Breitkopf and Hartel."

So by tomorrow's post I shall have the honor of returning you the
proofs of the Lieder-Cyclus, which forms a continuation to the
Beethoven Lieder which you have already edited, and which you
will publish when you think well. .--.

With the proofs of my third piece on the "Prophete" I will also
send you all the pieces on it (piano and voice) which you have
been so good as to lend me, as well as the piano score, which I
don't require any more; for, unless I should have a success which
I dare not hope for (for these three pieces), and an express
order from you for another series of three pieces, which I could
easily extract from that vast score, I shall make this the end of
my work on the "Prophete." I come at last to a question, not at
all serious, but somewhat embarrassing for me,--that of fixing
the price of the manuscripts that you are so good as to print. I
confess that this is my "quart d'heure de Rabelais!" [The "quart
d'heure de Rabelais" refers to an incident in his life, and
means, in round terms, the moment of paying--i.e., any
disagreeable moment.] In order not to prolong it for you, allow
me to tell you without further ceremony that the whole of the six
works together, which are as follows:--

Lieder of Beethoven, Lieder-Cyclus of Beethoven, Consolations
(six numbers), Illustrations of the "Prophete" (three numbers),
published by your house, are worth, according to my estimation,
80-100 louis d'or.

If this price does not seem disproportionate to you, as I am
pleased to think it will not, and if it suits you to publish
other pieces of my composition, I shall have the pleasure of
sending you in the course of the year:--

1. A "Morceau de Concert"(for piano without orchestra), composed
for the competition of the Paris Conservatoire, 1850.

2. The complete series of the Beethoven Symphonies, of which you
have as yet only published the "Pastorale" and the "C minor." (In
the supposition that this publication will suit your house, I
will beg you to make the necessary arrangements from now onwards
with Mr. Haslinger; perhaps it will even be expedient that the
Symphony in A (7th), which Haslinger published several years ago
from the arrangement that I had made, should reappear in its
proper place in the complete series of the symphonies.)

3. Bach's six fugues (for organ with pedals), arranged for piano
alone.

In the middle of February I shall send you the complete
manuscript of my little volume on Chopin, and a little later in
the same month we shall set ourselves to work here on the study
of Schubert's opera, the performance of which will take place in
the first days of April. If, as I do not doubt, the performance
of the "Prophete" draws you to Dresden, I shall certainly have
the pleasure of seeing you there, for I have just begged Mr. de
Luttichau to be so good as to reserve me a place for that
evening, and I shall not fail to be there. Meanwhile, my dear M.
Hartel, believe me,

Yours sincerely and affectionately,

F. Liszt Weymar, January 14th, 1850

On the occasion of Schubert's opera I shall probably set to work
on the arrangement of the symphony, of which, meanwhile, I hold
the score.--Compliments and best regards to Madame Hartel, which
I know you will be kind enough to convey to her.

65. To Breitkopf and Hartel

February 24th, 1850

My dear Sir,

.--. With regard to Schubert's opera ["Alfonso and Estrella." It
was given for the first time on June 24th, 1854, the birthday of
the Grand Duke (but not without some necessary cuts)], a recent
experience has entirely confirmed me in the opinion I had already
formed at the time of the first rehearsals with piano which we
had last spring--namely, that Schubert's delicate and interesting
score is, as it were, crushed by the heaviness of the libretto!
Nevertheless, I do not despair of giving this work with success;
but this success appears possible only on one condition--namely,
to adapt another libretto to Schubert's music. And since, by a
special fate, of which I have no reason to complain, a part of
Schubert's heritage has become my domain, I shall willingly busy
myself, as time and place offer, with the preparatory work and
the mise-en-scene of this opera, for which it would be
advantageous, in my opinion, if it could be first produced in
Paris. Belloni informs me that it will be pretty easy for you to
ensure me the entire rights of this work for France. If such be
the case I would take suitable measures for the success of this
work, on occasion of which I should naturally have to make a
considerable outlay of time and money, so that I should not be
disposed to run any risk without the guarantee of proportionate
receipts from the sale of the work in France, and author's rights
which I shall have to give up to the new poet.

This matter, however, is not at all pressing, for I shall only be
able to set to work in the matter in the course of next year
(1851); but I shall be very much obliged to you not to lose sight
of it, and to put me in possession, when you are able, of the
cession of the French and English rights, in consideration of
which I will set to work and try to get the best possible chances
of success.

Many thanks to you for so kindly sending the score of Schubert's
Symphony. That of the "Prophete" not being wanted by me any
longer, I enclose it in the parcel of proofs and manuscripts
which I beg you to undertake to send off to Mr. Belloni's address
in Paris.

On Easter Monday we shall give the first performance of "Comte
Ory." [By Rossini] Would you not feel tempted to come and hear
it? It is a charming work, brimming over and sparkling with
melody like champagne, so that at the last rehearsal I christened
it the "Champagner-Oper" ["Champagne Opera."] and in order to
justify this title our amiable Intendant proposes to regale the
whole theater with a few dozens of champagne in the second act,
in order to spirit up the chorus.

"Qu'il avait de bon vin le Seigneur chatelain!"

Cordial remembrances from yours affectionately,

F. Liszt

I should be glad for the publication of No. 3 of the pieces on
the "Prophete," and the "Consolations," not to be put off long.

66. To Professor J. C. Lobe in Leipzig

[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.--
The addressee (1797-1881), a writer on music (formerly Court
Musician at Weimar), lived from 1846 in Leipzig.]

My esteemed Friend,

It is with much pleasure I send you the good news that H.R.H. the
Grand Duchess has graciously accepted the dedication of your
"System of Composition." [Published in 1850.] Our gracious
protector [feminine] started yesterday for The Hague, and will
not be back till towards the middle of August.

I hope you will be sure not to fail us at the Herder Festival in
Weymar (August 25th), as well as at the "Lohengrin" evening
(28th); we have been already waiting for you so long!

Between the performances of the "Messiah" and "Lohengrin" (to say
nothing of my "Prometheus" choruses) will also be the best
opportunity for you to present your work in person to the Grand
Duchess.

Remember me kindly to your dear family, and remain my friend as I
am yours

Most truly,

F. Liszt Weymar, July 10th, 1850

67. To Friedrich Wieck in Dresden

[published in the "Neue Musik-Zeitung" in 1888.--The addressee
was the well-known pianoforte master, the father of Clara
Schumann (1785-1873).]

Esteemed Sir,

It will be a real pleasure to me to welcome you here, and your
daughter [Marie Wieck, Hohenzollern Court Pianist in Dresden],
whom I have already heard so highly commended. Weymar, as you
know it of old, offers no brilliant resources for concerts; but
you may rest assured beforehand that I, on my side, shall do
everything that is possible in this connection to make things
easy for you. To me it seems especially desirable that you should
wait until the return of H.R.H. the Grand Duchess, which will be
within a fortnight; should you, however, be tied by time and come
here before that date, I bid you heartily welcome, dear sir, and
place myself at your disposal.

Yours truly,

F. Liszt

Weymar, August 4th, 1850

68. To Simon Lowy in Vienna.

[Autograph in the Royal Library in Vienna. Printed in a German
translation, La Mara, "Letters of Musicians during Five
Centuries," vol. ii.]

Weymar, August 5th, 1850

Dear Friend,

My cousin Edward writes me word that you are a little piqued at
my long silence,--and I, shall I tell you frankly? am a little
piqued that you have not yet thought of coming to see me, and of
transferring your bath season to some place in the neighborhood
of Weymar. Will you make peace with me?--

Accept as a friend the invitation I give you in all friendship.
Arrive at Weymar the 23rd of August, and stay till the 30th at
least. You will find several of your friends here,--Dingelstedt,
Jules Janin, Meyerbeer (?), etc.,--and you will hear, firstly, on
the evening of the 24th, a good hour and a half of music that I
have just composed (Overture and Choruses) for the "Prometheus"
of Herder, which will be given as a Festal Introduction to the
inauguration of his statue in bronze by Schaller of Munich, which
is fixed for the 25th; secondly, on the evening of the 25th,
Handel's "Messiah"; thirdly, on the 28th, the anniversary of
Goethe's birth, a remarkably successful Prologue made, ad hoc,
for that day by Dingelstedt, followed by the first performance of
Wagner's "Lohengrin." This work, which you certainly will not
have the opportunity of hearing so soon anywhere else, on account
of the special position of the composer, and the many
difficulties in its performance, is to my idea a chef-d'oeuvre of
the highest and most ideal kind! Not one of the operas which has
entertained the theaters for the past twenty years can give any
approximate idea of it.

So don't be piqued any longer, or rather, dear friend, be piqued
with curiosity to be one of the first to hear such a beautiful
thing. Sulk with Vienna, for a few weeks at least, instead of
sulking with me, which is all nonsense, and believe me always and
ever your most sincerely attached, but very much occupied, very
much pre-occupied, and oftentimes very absorbed friend,

F. Liszt

69. To Mathilde Graumann

[Given by the addressee, subsequently celebrated as Mathilde
Marchesi, teacher of singing, in "Aus meinem Leben" (Bagel,
Dusseldorf)]

Mademoiselle,

Here is the letter for the Grand Master de Luttichau, which M. de
Ziegesar has just written in your honor and glory, with all the
good grace and obligingness which he keeps for you.

As regards introductions to Berlin there is a provoking
contretemps for you. H.R.H. the Princess of Prussia will pass the
winter at Coblentz.

Meyerbeer, to whom I beg you to remember me respectfully, will
certainly be your best patron with the Court, and I have no doubt
that he will receive you with sympathy and interest.

I will also send you, in the course of the week, a letter for the
Chamberlain of H.R.H. Princess Charles of Prussia, which Ziegesar
has promised me.

As to our concert, fixed for the 19th (Saturday next), I assure
you frankly that I should not have ventured to speak to you of
it, and that I hardly venture now.

The receipts are to be devoted to some pension fund, always so
low in funds in our countries; consequently I am not in a
position to propose any suitable terms. Now as, on the occasion
of the performance of the "Messiah," you have already been only
too kind to us, it really would not do for me to return to the
charge, unless you were to authorize me to do so quite directly
and positively, by writing me an epistolary masterpiece somewhat
as follows:--

"I will sing in a perfunctory manner, but with the best
intentions and the best will in the world, the air from...(here
follows the name of the piece), and the duet from "Semairamide"
with Milde or Mademoiselle Aghte, next Saturday; and in order not
to put anybody out, I will arrive at the exact time of the
rehearsal, on Friday at four o'clock."

If any such idea as this should come into your head please let me
know (by telegram if need be), so that by Monday night, or, at
latest, Tuesday midday, I may be able to make the programme,
which must appear by Wednesday morning at latest.

With homage and friendship,

F. Liszt

Friday, October 11th, 1850 Be so kind as to give a friendly
shake of the hand from me to Joachim; recommend him not to be too
late in arriving at Weimar, where we expect him for the evening
of the 14th.

P.S.--At the moment when I was going to send my letter to the
post the following lines reached me. I send them to you intact,
and you will see by them that you could not have friends better
disposed towards you than those of Weimar.

Please do not fail to write direct to Ziegesar to thank him for
his kindness, of which you have been sensibly informed by me
(without alluding to his letter, which you will return to me),
and at the same time say exactly which week you will arrive in
Berlin; unless, however, you prefer to come and tell him this
verbally on Friday or Saturday evening at the Altenburg, after
you have again chanted to us and enchanted us. [Literal
translation, on account of play on words.]

70. To Carl Reinecke

Dear Reinecke,

Here are the letters for Berlioz and Erard that I offered you. I
add a few lines for the young Prince Eugene Wittgenstein, with
whom you will easily have pleasant relations; he is an
impassioned musician, and is remarkably gifted with artistic
qualities. In addition, I have had a long talk about your stay in
Paris, and the success which you ought to obtain, with Belloni,
who came to me for a few days. You will find him thoroughly well
disposed to help you by all the means in his power, and I would
persuade you to have complete confidence in him. Go and look for
him as soon as ever you arrive, and ask him for all the practical
information you require. Make your visit to Messrs. Escudier with
him. (N.B.--He will explain why I have not given you a letter for
Brandus.)

The greater number of your pieces have hitherto been printed
exclusively by Escudier, and in my opinion you would do well to
keep well with them in consequence. In your position it is not at
all necessary to make advances to everybody--and, moreover, it is
the very way to have no one for yourself. Look, observe, and keep
an intelligent reserve, and don't cast yourself, German-wise,
precipitately into politeness and inopportune modesty.

In one of your leisure hours Belloni will take you to Madame
Patersi, who is entrusted with the education of my two daughters,
for whom I beg a corner of your kind attention. Play them your
Polonaise and Ballade, and let me hear, later on, how their very
small knowledge of music is going on. Madame Patersi, as I told
you, will have much pleasure in introducing you to her former
pupil, Madame de Foudras, whose salon enjoys an excellent
reputation.

Need I renew to you here the request of my four cardinal points?-
-No, I am sure I need not!--Accept then, dear Reinecke, all my
heartiest wishes for this new year, as well as for your journey
to Paris. Let me hear of you through Belloni, if you have not
time to write to me yourself, and depend in all circumstances on
the very cordial attachment of

Yours sincerely and affectionately,

F. Liszt January 1st, 1851 My return to Weymar is unfortunately
again postponed for twenty days, by the doctor's orders, to which
I submit, although not personal to myself. [They referred to
Princess Wittgenstein, who was ill.]

71. To Leon Escudier, Music Publisher in Paris

[autograph in the possession of M. Arthur Pougin in Paris.--The
addressee was at that time the manager of the periodical "La
France Musicale," in which Liszt's Memoir of Chopin first
appeared in detached numbers (beginning from February 9th,
1851).]

Weymar, February 4th, 1851

My dear Sir,

The proofs of the two first articles of my biographical study of
Chopin ought to have reached you some days ago, for I corrected
and forwarded them immediately on my return to Weymar. You will
also find an indication of how I want them divided, which I shall
be obliged if you will follow. Both on account of the reverence
of my friendship for Chopin, and my desire to devote the utmost
care to my present and subsequent publications, it is important
to me that this work should make its appearance as free from
defects as possible, and I earnestly request you to give most
conscientious attention to the revision of the last proofs. Any
alterations, corrections, and additions must be made entirely in
accordance with my directions, so that the definitive
publication, which it would be opportune to begin at once in your
paper, may satisfy us and rightly fulfill the aim we have in
view. If therefore your time is too fully occupied to give you
the leisure to undertake these corrections, will you be so good
as to beg M. Chavee [an eminent Belgian linguist, at that time a
collaborator on the "France Musicale"] (as you propose) to do me
this service with the scrupulous exactitude which is requisite,
for which I shall take the opportunity of expressing to him
personally my sincere thanks?

In the matter of exactitude you would have some right to reproach
me (I take it kindly of you to have passed it over in silence,
but I have nevertheless deserved your reproaches, apparently at
least) with regard to Schubert's opera ["Alfonso and Estrella,"
which Liszt produced at Weimar in 1854]. I hope Belloni has
explained to you that the only person whom I can employ to make a
clear copy of this long work has been overwhelmed, up to now,
with pressing work. It will therefore be about three months
before I can send you the three acts, the fate of which I leave
in your hands, and for which, by the aid of an interesting
libretto, we may predict good luck at the Opera Comique. I will
return to this matter more in detail when I am in the position to
send you the piano score (with voice), to which, as yet, I have
only been able to give some too rare leisure hours, but which I
promise you I will not put off to the Greek Calends!

As far as regards my opera, allow me to thank you for the
interest you are ready to take in it. For my own part I have made
up my mind to work actively at the score. I expect to have a copy
of it ready by the end of next autumn. We will then see what can
be done with it, and talk it over.

Meanwhile accept, my dear sir, my best thanks and compliments.

F. Liszt

The proofs of the third and fourth articles on Chopin will be
posted to you tomorrow.

Has Belloni spoken to you about F. David's "Salon Musical"
(twenty-four pieces of two pages each, very elegantly written and
easy to play)?--I can warmly recommend this work to you, both
from the point of view of art, and of a profitable, and perhaps
even popular, success. [Presumably Ferdinand David's "Bunte
Reihe," Op. 30, which Liszt transcribed for piano alone.]

72. To Carl Reinecke

My dear Mr. Reinecke,

I am still writing to you from Eilsen; your two kind and charming
letters found me here and have given me a very real pleasure. You
may rest quite assured during your life of the sincere and
affectionate interest I feel for you, an interest of which I
shall always be happy to give you the best proofs as far as it
depends on me.

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